Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Mucoproteins and Mucopolysaccharides最新文献

• 1.

  1. A method for dissolving and fractionating bovine sclera has been described. High speed homogenization, utilizing double water extraction, separates out the protein-polysaccharide from the sclera. The residue is disolved with pepsin (EC 3.4.4.1) and trypsin (EC 3.4.4.4) and fractionated by dialysis and cold alcohol precipitation.

• 2.

  2. Chondroitin sulfates A, B and C are found as protein-polysaccharide complexes in bovine sclera. No keratosulfate was found in the tissue.

• 3.

  3. No N-acetyl neuraminic acid is present in bovine sclera.

• 4.

  4. Comparison of the fractions of the bovine sclera and bovine nasal cartilage reveals that the tissues are different in composition and structure.

Human and bovine serum orosomucoids and their neuraminidase (EC 3.2.1.18) treated counterparts were characterized with respect to their sedimentation, diffusion, viscosity, and optical rotatory properties at pH 7 in cacodylate buffer. The human and bovine orosomucoids had molecular weights of 41600 and 37000 respectively by the sedimentation diffusion method. Calculations involving the frictional coefficient and viscosity increment indicated that the two orosomucoids were highly hydrated prolate shaped molecules with an axial ratio of 2.5. The removal of sialic acid caused a loss of the water of hydration with an increase of the axial ratio to 5 and no loss of helical structure.

Spore mucopeptide was prepared by autolysis of the cortical structure of Bacillus coagulans spores. Analysis showed that it contained glucosamine, muramic acid, L-alanine, D-glutamic acid, meso-diaminopimelic acid and D-alanine in the molecular proportions 2.8:3:1.6:1.0:1.0:1.0. About 80% of the diaminopimelic acid residues had one amino group which reacted with fluorodinitrobenzene. Alanine in trace amounts was the only N-terminal amino acid detected. The presence of most of the expected free carboxyl and amino groups was confirmed by titration studies. Not all the amino sugar appeared to be N-acetylated. The results are consistent with the proposition that the spore cortical structure consists of a loosely cross-linked matrix bearing a considerable excess of carboxyl groups.

• 1.

  1. Human tooth dentine-cementum and enamel contain 0.08% and 0.03% hexosamine, respectively, with approximately equivalent amounts of glucosamine and galactosamine.

• 2.

  2. Chondroitin 4-sulfate and/or chondroitin 6-sulfate are present in dentine-cementum and enamel of human teeth with smaller amounts of hyaluronic acid. There is apparently no dermatan or keratan sulfate.

• 3.

  3. Chondroitin 6-sulfate is the major acid glycosaminoglycan in the dentine-cementum of human teeth.

• 1.

  1. The content and fractional distribution of acid mucopolysaccharides in normal human-heart valves were studied.

• 2.

  2. The acid mucopolysaccharide content was significantly different in the aortic, mitral and tricuspid valves in the young age group. The aortic valve contained the highest amount of acid mucopolysaccharide and the tricuspid had the least.

• 3.

  3. The content of acid mucopolysaccharide decreased with age in these three valves. The decrease was most marked in the aortic valve and the tricuspid showed the least change.

• 4.

  4. Three kinds of acid mucopolysaccharide, namely hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate B and chondroitin sulfate A or C were found in these valves. Hyaluronic acid was the major component constituting approx. 60% of the total acid mucopolysaccharide.

• 5.

  5. There was no remarkable change in the distribution of these three acid mucopolysaccharides during the aging process from 20 to 60 years or over.

The 6-O-sulphates of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-galactose I-phosphate (N-acetylgalactosamine-αI-phoshate), $\text{O-(β-}\text{D}\text{-}\text{glucopyranosyluronic acid}\text{)-(}\text{I}\text{→3)-2-}\text{acetamido}\text{-2-}\text{deoxy}\text{-}\text{D}\text{-}\text{galactase}$ (N-acetylchondrosine) and UDP-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α-D-galactose (UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine) were synthesized using triethylamine-N-sulphonic acid as sulphating agent. The products of the reaction were purified by fractionation on ECTEOLA-cellulose and converted to the barium salts by passage through the barium form of a cation-exchange resin. Evidence for the homogeneity of the sulphates was provided by chemical analysis, paper chromatography, electrophoresis, colorimetric assay and infrared spectra. Proof for the position of the sulphate group on the primary hydroxyl of the N-acetylhexosamines was provided by periodate consumption studies and the detection of glycolaldehyde sulphate as an end product of periodate oxidation.